Russia to supply Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with copters and air defense systems

Russia will supply its partners within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with new weapons systems this year such as helicopters, air defense systems and armored vehicles, according to Dmitry Shugayev, the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), as quoted by mass media.

In addition, according to Acting Secretary General of CSTO Valery Semerikov, the CSTO may start arming its rapid response forces with weapons on a free of charge basis in the coming years.

“The plan prescribing what types of military equipment and products and when should be delivered to a specific state was prepared and nearly coordinated with all states, and it was expected to take effect in 2015-2016. However, due to such troubles as crisis, sanctions and others, we took the decision to halt the implementation of this plan, but only regarding non-repayable supplies,” Semerikov told reporters adding that the full resumption is scheduled for 2018-2019.

Later, Shugayev’s first deputy Andrei Boitsov noted that another military cooperation agreement was being prepared for Kyrgyzstan.

“These agreements make it possible to simplify the cooperation between our states as much as possible and allow enterprises to operate directly with one another,” Boitsov said. He also stressed that the presidents of the CSTO countries have been tasked to modernize their national defense-industrial complexes.

“This includes, among other things, the creation and development of service centers for the maintenance of weapons and military equipment that are in the service of national armies and which are planned for mutual deliveries,” he added.

According to the Russian officials, Russia is ready for the biggest financial obligations in this process.

The CSTO was established on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty, signed by Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states on May 15, 1992. The bloc comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.